Ciresi to Have Special Education Funding Oversight

State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist.

State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist., has been appointed to a statehouse committee that will give him say over the skyrocketing costs of special education.

According to a recent case study of Pottstown School District by former assistant superintendent Myra Forrest, "Pottstown School District has a very high rate of special education students, which further encumbers its educational spending capabilities for the district as a whole."

As result of this unfunded mandate, Pottstown has less money available to pay for other educational needs, she said.

Specifically Ciresi was appointed to the Special Education Funding Commission, a position recommended by Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Phila., and approved by House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster.

The SEFC was established in 2013.

It reviews and makes recommendations regarding special education funding in the commonwealth. Its focus over the last two years has been reviewing the formula that directs state funding to school districts in Pennsylvania that have the greatest need for additional resources based upon the cost of each special education student.

“I am truly honored by this appointment and offer my gratitude to Leader McClinton and Speaker Cutler for entrusting me with the responsibility of serving in the best interest of our state’s special education students and teachers,” Ciresi said in a press release issued by his office.

Ciresi, who served 12 years on the Spring-ford Area School Board before being elected to the legislature, was appointed at the beginning of this 2021-22 legislative session to serve on the House Education Committee, as well.

“Ensuring fair funding of education is one of my top priorities as a legislator, and my background as a school board member for 12 years has given me insight on education policy in general and special education in particular. I am ready to get to work to ensure those school districts with the greatest special education needs are recognized and funded fairly, since having access to fair resources is what our students deserve,” Ciresi said.

Pottstown Has High Special Education Costs

Ciresi's oversight will have particular significance to his Pottstown constituents.

Pottstown's special education population has grown from 3 percent of its total in 1980 to nearly 20 percent today, Pottstown School Board member Thomas Hylton wrote in a recent column.

"Pottstown has 720 special education students each and every day, but a total of 859 over the course of the year because of the transient nature of the student body and their families," according to Forrest.

Data from Myra Forrest

"The highest cost special education students can cost anywhere from over 2 to 10 times more than a “typical” special education student. The highest cost special education student tuition in Pottstown School District is more than $200,000 per year," she wrote.

Data from Myra Forrest

According to Hylton's analysis, the 20 most expensive special education students cost the Pottstown School District more than $2.1 million a year.

More than a dozen of Pottstown's special education students each cost nearly $77,000 a year to educate, according to Forrest.

By contrast, Pottstown can afford to spend $11,212.56 each on "regular" education students. 

However, thanks to Pennsylvania's unbalanced and racially biased education funding system, the wealthy Lower Merion School District, also located here in Montgomery County, can afford to spend $21,116.00 per student.

The problem exists statewide, but hits low-income high-tax communities hardest.

Since 2008, federally mandate spending for special education has risen by $3.7 billion in Pennsylvania. But state and federal funding for special education has not kept pace.

As a result, Pennsyvlania's local taxpayers have shouldered an additional $1.8 billion in special education costs paid through their property taxes.

Perhaps that is something Ciresi will be able to address in Harrisburg.